Method of and apparatus for reducing fibrous material.



w. A. R. M. MCRAE. METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FDR REDUCING FIBROUS MATERIAL.

' APPLICATION FILED IUNET. 1913.

1,184,1 12. y A Patented May 23,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. A. R. M. MCRAE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING FIBROUS MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1913.

Patented May 23, 1916.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@MJA/V501) @AQHA/ry @Jaa M 44.

W. A. R. M. MCRAE.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING FIBROUS MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1913.

1 ,l 84, 1 1 2 Patented May 23, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- @swzm/Koi. 6W. Q. @fa/o THB COLUMBIA PMNoGnAPH Co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

WILLI-navranTH-UR lyalanrar.-infer-MELA Meana,- or- LONDON, ENGL-AND.

METHODYOFyANDfAPBARATIIS-EGR EEDJUCINGFIBROUS MATERIAL.

Speccatipn; of' Letters .Patent Patented May 23, 1916.

Appiicainzleame?, ma. serial No. 772,396.

of such' material Vpriorffto its;utilizationA for the product-ion of papermak'ers half-stuff; parer Pulp 0r rarer-, More Particular-,1y the apparatus is, empl'oyed-Y for reducingnorjdisintegrating materialxandlias forit'sobject to carry outA such reduction' orl disintegration without]damaging;the,fiberf y i The present inventfiongconsists.broadly inly a method'z ofrreducing materiali'of the', kind described to, separated fibers -or..` separated groups off' fibers by the'k subjection ofthe culms or stalks-*of'-th'e material "to afnsiinulta.- neons rubbingl and crushing actionjjcharacterized by' the application lofftlziatxcomp ound.-

action te virtually all `the diiferent'iporitions of the length offa-'culmor stalkI attlreusame time.

Apparatus for carrying theinvention Ainto effect comprises mea-nssimultaneously; to

rub and crushV the culmsV or stalksz-and'tto applyl that compound k: actiongtoyirtually all the dilferentfportions of tlie lengtlr of the culmy lorstalkat samev time:

A preferred constructionl of apparatus for carrying the invention'xinto effect comprises two r orA moreV rotatingV rollsof f differing speeds with or' without feedingl devices to deliver the culms oristalks-to' .therollszwith' the lengths of the culmsor. stalksggparallel or virtually so'withthe lengthsV of the rolls. Such an apparatus ,alsq preferablylincludes means to permitrelative adjustment between the co-acting surfacesoffthe rolls.

The invention= also includes afeeder de vice adapted! toregulate the charges which:

kitdelivers'to the reducingapparatuswithor without lmeans v coperating. ,with a feeder and operated by a charge v*to-prevent ithe delivery of-'that charge when the yquantity thereof exceeds predetermined 'limits-.l

There'may also be combined with the apparatus' a reducingA feed having a support for the material anda member coperating therewith to reduce the depth of the material on the support over andvabove a predetermined Aminimum. Such a reducing feed' may conveniently comprise two rotatingmembers having their peripheries serrated, or channelehthe serrations in one member forming supporting surfaces for the-material, the minimum distance between the; centersof'rotation ofthe two members beingili-Xed while movement. between them inhopposite directions. is resiliently controlled v' The invention also includes the product derivedjfrom the apparatus.

vOther,r features of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following; description taken in connection with they accompanying drawings which illustrateraj preferredembodiment of the invention, andl inwhich- Figure-111s Aanpelevation of the machine; Fig; 2 is a plan view ofthe machine illustratedin lili'g.V l; Fig.i 3*"is a perspective view of-t-he-feedv mechanism, and F ig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a part of the machine showing n the doctors and reducing rolls.v

.The apparatus may be roughly consideredunde'r three different headings z-(l) Preliminary feeding apparatus. (2) Combinedifeeding and reducing apparatus, and (-3) Reducing apparatus proper.

Theapparatus under headingNo. l in the embodiment illustrated comprises an endlessV band, chain or the like A. passing at one endover a. sprocket or similar member,v Al andwhaving projections extending lradially therefrom as at A2 'which may be conveniently formed of angled metal strips rivetedrto-the endless band A' or otherwise conveniently secured thereto.V The distance between eachf projection or partition A2 measured longitudinally of the band is such as to' determine v roughly the quantity of materialgtogbe carried between each parti'- 'lllius the bamboo or like material may be*y fediiinto it in any desired manner andffthe' apparatus will hereinafter be described iin connection with the treatment of which will feed the bamboo to the apparatus ticular class of material, and wherever men;-v

tion is i made of it, such mention applies equallyto canes or other like material. l The bamboomay AbeV preferably'l preliminarily treated as by cutting into lengths or by removing the knots orl nodes, although this latter step is not essential. veyer band A is caused to travel with a speed under the second heading referred to `above at the required rate, that is to say, the bamboo contained between any Vtwo partitions` A2 is shot out into the secondportion ofthel apparatus at predetermined time intervals. Combined with the feed carrier A, and disposed above it at its discharge end, is a trip gear composed of an arm B rigidly secured to a bracket B1 which'pi'vots at B2 on a sup-y port B3 and has sliding engagement as by means of the bolt B4 with a groove B5'in`a member B6 capable of sliding on. a shaft B7 but being feathered or otherwise'secured thereto so that the shaft B7 and the member B6 are incapable of rotatingindependently of one another. The shaft B7 is an extension. of, or is connected with, a roller A3 which carries the endless band A at one extremity, while a roller A4 carries it at the other extremity. The shaft B7 also carries the member A1 which has grooves adapted to coperate withthe partitions A? to cause 4the band A to lbe rotated as ythe shaft B7 is rotated. A pinion BS is mounted on the shaft B7 and is capable of freely rotating thereonl and meshes with another pinion B9 which is driven as will be more particularly described c hereinafter. A projection B19 from the pinion forms a clutch tooth to engage in a, clutch slot B11 in the member B6 so that the shaft B7 may, by this means, be normally coupled to the pinion B8 to be lrotated by'it,`

Obviously a space between two partitionsl A? may contain one stem of comparatively large diameter or two or more smaller stems and these may be piled one on the other but are fed on to the carrier A so that the run of the fiber is transverse to the length thereof.

' A The second portion o f the apparatus comprising a reducing feed consists of two liuted or channeled rolls C C1 disposed one above the other so that the upper one is not perpendi'cularly above thev lower vone, but is a little to the rear of it considered in the direction of travel of the bamboo through the/Inachine. These rolls preferably have eight deep channels and are so arranged that their teeth mesh with one another as'they are rotated. At the bottom` of each channel there may be, if desired, cast on or otherwise secured in'place a ridge extending axially of ,i

the roller' C or `C1 which ridge may be triangular in section having its apex arranged to contact with thebamboo-to aidin splitting it.

are not particularly illustrated in the drawings, while the upper one rotatesin bearings C2 sliding in guides C3 so that it is movable toward or away from the lower roll. The

, minimum distance between the axes of the rolls isfixed by a stop C4 whilemovement'to increase the distance betweeny the axes .may

lic, pneumatic, india rubber, or like controls.,

The action of the springs maybe varied by means of bolts C6 passingA centrally there- -The lower roll preferablyl rotates in station- ,arybearings which, for .the sakeof clearness, The con- 1.

through and atone end engaging the bearings C2 and atthe other-end by means of a. washer C7 engagingn'the spring C5. The first' carrier A is so arranged inrits movement and is so positioned' in relation to the lower reducing freed roll, C1 thatthe material contained between two partitions in the first-- mentioned carrier is'discharged into one of' the channels in the roll C1 and the material carried between succeeding partitions is discharged into succeeding channelsof the roll.

surl

C1. It is then carriedaround by the roll C1- Y i into crushing contact ywith it. The distance untilthe projection 'fromy the roll fC comes:

C is such thaton the material `of a certain predetermined size or smaller, no crushing action is effected, while material larger than that particular sizewillbe crushed. 1

rThe material thus treated is then carried around byy the channel in the roll C1 to the apparatus utilized under the third heading. Such apparatus may be considered asv thereducing apparatus proper, andconsists of a series vof rolls-carried on shafts D, D1, D2,

D, D1' respectively, and referred 4to as D10, .n

D11, D12, D1"7 and D11. The distance between the centers or.` axes of adjacent pairs of rolls progressively diminishes through the series and each -of *thel shafts D-.D4 is carried vin bearings capable of adjustment relativelyto, thev adjacent rolls. Inconnec'- tion with therolls D11 and D14t these bearings havebeen shown at D and D as sliding between guides D7 forming part of the framework of the machine and similar bearings are provided. for the other rolls. rl`he pair of rolls nearest the reducing'feed C C1 are arranged-in relation thereto so that the material is discharged from a .channel in the roll C1finto a -space between the first twov rolls D10' and D1.1.-It`is then, carried by the two rolls 'into the space lbetween them 1 machirfefprogressively iincreases,'the matev fore each be separately adjusted one to the i lasagna l ria-l is. subjected to .a'combined crushingand shearing action between each pair .of rolls 1' through 1which it passes. It will be at=once seen that the shearing. action is producedmainly by friction as i distinct from a cut- .ting action and the combined action of a pair ofirolls may be termed a r.ub'crush orA shear-crush action. After it has passed it is brought on to a support. or doctor E extending the length of the roll which is through the nip l(that is the space between them across'which an imaginary line joining the axes of the two rolls would pass) spaced from the roll at the same or: greater distance than the nip between the two rolls.' Such a doctor or support E ispro- -vided between each pair of adjacent rolls and is so arranged that one edge acts as a doctor or scraper Vin connection with one of a pairof adjacent rolls `which ris rearmost considered in the direction of travel of the' material through the machine.

The doctors E may be curved plates oi' castings adjustably inountedfso as to accommodate any :adjustment of their yrespective rolls and as the material passing on-tothese will not be further compressed between them and the surfaces of the respective rolls, it will collect in the -space 'between a doctor E and the roll above it or below it as the j case may be; The doctors may .haveroughened or' serrated surfaces preferably in s ection like saw-teeth sloped in the direction of travel of the bamboo through the ma- -c'hinewhereby a slight drag is imposed on the material topreventoverrapid feeding 'v and alsofthe bamboois-rolled or turned over 'to present fresh surfaces .to-be acted upon by the neXtpair of rolls.

One such doctor is shown in Fig. 4.

Assuming that a length of 4bamboo has` not passed through the previous lpair of rolls in a direction parallel to the axes of f the rolls, it will pass into that space between the doctor and its coacting roll and will be 4turned into its proper direction `by the succeeding length of bamboo'and-as each succeeding length of bamboo comes vinto that space, those lengths previously therein.

` rial be fed into the nip so that no blockage will occur. Y

The supports or framework of the machine have been sliown in the drawings but havenot been referred to specifically -herein as they may be of anydesired type or construction, and although the three parts yof the machine have beenillustrat'ed as' carried in a cominonframework, they may be .meshes vwith the gear wheel F13.

each carried'.Y independently and may thereother.

The rolls D1 11 are preferably fluted or serrated. in any desired manner and the serrations may have squared, rounded or other edges. They are preferably not parallel to ,the `axes ofthe rolls but are slightly inclined thereto as shown in the rolls D13 land 'D11 in Fig. 2. By this means the docytors E may press against them without the .The drive for the machine will now be de- -i scribed and although the particular ratios of the. gears are not specifically detailed they are preferably such as to permit the peripheral speed of each roll to be greater than that of the roll immediately precedingl it in the series of rolls, when considycred, inthe direction of travel of the bamboo through; the machine, by an amount equal to about 10% of the speed of that preceding roll.

The mainshaft F is driven in any convenient manner and has keyed or otherwise secured to it pinions F1 and F2, meshing with gear wheels F3 and F 4 respectively, the latter bengcarried on shafts F5 and F respectively. The shaft FG also has keyed'or otherwise secured to it a gear wheel F7 Y wheel F10 meshing with the pinion B9 carricdfon the shaftv kF12 and the pinion B2 :meshes,fas before described, with the pinion BS. The gear-wheel F7 also meshes with another gear-wheel F13 carried lon a shaft F14 and a gear wheelY F154 on theshaft D inter- The drive for the shafts D1 and D2 is effected from a gear-wheel F16 carried on the shaft F5 intermeshing with a gear wheel F17 on the yshaft D1 which in its turn meshes with a gear-wheel F18 on the shaft D2. The drive for the rolls D13 and D11 is also effected from Atheshaft F5 through a gear-wlieel F19 thereon andfgear-wheels F2o and F21 carried on the shafts D3 and DA1 respectively.

The material resulting from the machine consists fof substantially separated fibers. of practically the same length as that of the bamboo stems introduced into the machine so that when utilized for papermaking or lfor the production of papermakers halfstuff or paper pulp, a paper or pulp may be .produced having a long fiber which will give strength to the resultant paper.

@ne embodiment of the invention has been described inl detail but modifications may be made, for example, insteadof arranging the'rolls in staggered relationship they could be arranged with their vaxes inthe same plane, in which case a doctor E would eX- tend vfrom one roll toa roll next but one to it. modified provided that the parts are drive at the required relative speeds.

Throughout the specificationthe reducing apparatus proper under the third heading has been described as comprising a series of cooperating rollsbutthese may be replaced 'by any other members providing surfaces that will coperate 1n a slmilarmanner.'

Hence in the specification and the following claims, where the term roll or rolls :has been employed in this connection it is to be understood to cover any such other member or members.

In conjunction with or additionally to the apparatus herein described a cutting appliance of any desired form `may be used to cut the separated fibers or separated groups of fibers into suitable vlengths for further treatment.

Other modifications may be lmade provided always that the spirit of the invention is not departed from.

yWhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

la Apparatus for reducing material of the kind describedto separated Ifibers or sepavrated vgroups of fibers comprising in combi-y nation, a plurality of rotatable rolls adapted yin pairs to operate upon the material thetwo rolls of a pair rotating at different peripheral speeds, feeding means to deliver` the culms or stalks to a pair of rolls-withV the lengths of the. ,stalks parallel orvirtually 'so with the lengths of the rolls, 'and means to support and guide the material in the interval between the action upon it of two successive pairs ofrolls, substantially.v

parallel batches of materialbeing propelled against one another along theface ofthe supporting guide-memberin -order to parallelize them. y

2. Apparatus for reducing material of the kind described to separated fibers or separated groups of fibers comprising infcombination, a plurality of rotatable rolls adapted in pairs to operate upon the material thev two rolls of a pair rotating at different peripheral speeds, feeding .means to deliver the culms or stalks to a pair of rolls with the lengths of the stalks parallel or virtually so with the lengths of the rolls, means to support and guide the, material in the` interval between the action upon itof two successive pairs of rolls` successive substantially parallel batches of material being propelled against one another along the face of the supporting guide-member in order to parallelize them, and a device adapted to regulate the charges delivered to the reducing apparatus. f 1` v Also, the details of the drive may be `3. Apparatus for reducing material of the kind described toseparated bers or sepabination", a plurality of rotatable rolls adapted in pairs to operate upon the Ina--v terial the two rolls of a pair rotating at differentr peripheral speeds, feeding means to deliverl the culms'or stalks to a pair of rolls with the lengths of the stalks parallelv or virtually so with the lengths of the rolls, means ftosupportand guide the material in the. intervalbetween the action upon it of two successive pairs of rolls, `successive substantially parallel batches of material being propelled against one another along the face.v

of the supporting -guide-member inl order to parallelize them, and a reducing feed hav- Ving a support for the material and a member co-acting therewith to reduce any depth of material on the support which is over and above a predetermined minimum.

' 4. Apparatus for reducing material of the I kind described to separated fibers or separated groups of fibers comprising in combination, a plurality of rotatable rollsv adapted in pairs to operate upon the material the two rolls of a pair rotating at different periphy eral speeds, and feeding means to deliver the culms .or stalks to a-pair of rollswith the "lengths of the stalks parallel or virtually 'so' with the lengths ofthe rolls, the material be- "rated groups -of fibersfcomprising in coming parallelized after it has left one pair of rolls and before it is fed to 'another pair of rolls.

v5. `Apparatus for reducing material of thel kinddescribed to separated fibers or separated gro-ups of fibers comprising in combination, a plurality of rotatable rolls adaptj ed in pairs tooperate upon the material the `two rolls of a pair rotating at different pe-li ripheral speeds, feedingmeans to deliver the :culrns or lstalks to ai pair of rolls-with the vlengths ofthe stalks parallel or virtually so -in pairs tooperate upon the material, the

two rolls of a pair rotating at diEerent peripheral speeds, feeding means to deliver the vculms or stalks to a pair of rolls with the lengths of the stalks parallel or virtually so with thelengths of the .-rolls, and al device adapted to regulate the charges delivered toV vthe reducing apparatus. Y

- 7. Apparatus for reducing material of the i kind ldescribed to separated fibers or separated groups of fibers comprising in combination, a. plurality v of rotatable rolls adapted inpairs to 'operate iupon'the materiahthe two rolls of a pair rotating at'differentperipheral speeds, feeding means to deliverthe culms or stalks to a pair of 'rolls with the lengths of the stalks parallel or virtually-so with the lengths of the'rolls, a device adapted to regulate the charges delivered to the reducing apparatus, and means coperating with ythe said" device and operated lby the charge to prevent the delivery of that charge when the quantity thereof exceeds prede termined limits.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a reducing feed comprising two rotating members whose axes are preferably in different horizontal planes, each of said members having its periphery serrated or channeled parallel to its axis, the serrations in one member providing supporting surfaces for the material, the minimum distance between the centers of rotation of the two members being xed while movement between the centers in the opposite direction is resiliently controlled.

9. Apparatus for reducing material of the kind described to separated bers or-separated groups of fibers comprising a plurality of rotatable rolls adapted to apply a combined rubbing and crushing action to material between adjacent rolls, feeding means to deliver the culms or stalks to a pair of rolls with the lengths of the stalks parallel or virtually so with the lengths of the rolls, and means presenting a serrated surface to the material and adapted to guide it in the interval between the action upon it of two successive pairs of rolls, successive substantially parallel batches of material being propelled against one another along the face of the said serrated guiding member in order to parallelize them.

10. For treating material of the kind described, the combination with apparatus for reducing the material of a device to preliminarily reduce the size of the material, and a conveyerrto deliver the material in regulated quantities to the said device, the conveyer and device together arranged to feed the material in regulated and sized quantities to the reducing apparatus.

l1. Apparatus for reducing material of the kindv described to separated fibers or separated groups of bers comprising two members adapted to receive the material between them, means to cause relative movement between said members to produce a combined rubbing and crushing action to feeder device adapted to regulate the charges which it delivers to the said two 60 members, and means coperating with the feeder device and operated by a charge to prevent the delivery of that charge when the quantity thereof exceeds predetermined limits.

12. Apparatus for reducing material of the kind described to separated bers or separated groups of bers comprising in combination, a plurality of rolls arrangedin seriesoand adapted in pairs to apply a combined rubbing and crushing action to virtually y` all the different portions of the length ofthe culm or stalk at the same time each of the rolls excepting the two end ones being arranged to coperate with two others andgtlie peripheral speeds of the rolls increasing progressively through the series.

13. Apparatus for reducing material of the kind described to separated fibers or separated groups of bers comprising in combination, a plurality of rolls arranged in series and adapted in pairs to apply a combined rubbing and crushing action to virtually all the different portions of the length of the culm or stalk at the same time each of the rolls excepting the two end ones being arranged to coperate with two others and the peripheral speeds of the rolls increasing progressively through the series, the material being parallelized after it has left one pair of rolls and before it is fed to another pair of rolls so that the lengths of the culms or stalks are parallel or virtually so with the lengths of the rolls.

14. Apparatus for reducing material of the kind described to separated fibers or separated groups of fibers comprising in combination, a plurality of rolls arranged in series and adapted in pairs to apply a combined rubbingand crushing action to virtually all the different portions of the length of the culm or stalk at the same time each of the rolls excepting the two end ones being arranged to coperate with two others and the peripheral speeds of the rolls increasing progressively through the series, means to support the material in the interval between the action upon it of two successive pairs o-f rolls upon which means the material is parallelized after it leaves one pair of rolls and before it is fed to the next pair.

15.., Apparatus for reducing material of the kind described to separated bers or separated groups of bers comprising in combination, a plurality of rolls arranged in series and adapted in pairs to apply a combined rubbing and crushing action to virtually all the different portions of the length of the culm or stalk at the same time each of the rolls excepting the two end ones being arranged to coperate with two others and the peripheral speeds of the rolls increasing progressively through the series, and a feeder device adapted to regulate the charges which it delivers to the reducing apparatus.

16. A method of reducing material of the kind described to separated bers or separated groups of bers which consists in first feeding the stalks laterally reducing to 6 1,1sf1,1 1g H a rpredetermined size all those of the eulms name tothis specifica-tion in the preseneefrof i or stalks which are above that size and then two-subscribing Witnesses.y subjecting them to a simultaneous rubbing and crushing action which is applied to vir- 5 tually all the different portions of the length -Witnesses: l

of the .cuhn or stalk at the same time. HARRY B. BRIDGE,

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my RONALD S.. DOLLEYMORE- Copies of this patent may be obtained for vc cents eaoh, Any addressing the Commissioner of iraient,A

Washington, D. C.`

lWILLIAM ARTHUR BANKEN MICHAEL MQRAE. 

